Pronounced "Wash-ah-taw", the lake was created by building the Blakely Mountain Dam.“Ouachita” is the French spelling of the Indian word "Washita" which is from two Choctaw Indian words, "Owa Chito," meaning big hunt.

With over 40,000 acres of water, Lake Ouachita averages 50 feet deep. The deepest area touching 200 feet.Lake Ouachita was not clear cut
before it was filled, so a forest is still standing beneath the surface. Many trees left standing were over 60 feet tall. Always be on the lookout for shallow water markers and tree tops. Even in seemingly open water you can go from 150 feet to 2 feet in a short distance.

There are many unusual features in and around the lake, one feature, the
Geo-Float Trail, is a marked water trail which can be followed with a brochure detailing prominent geologic features along the marked trail.

Lake Ouachita also features one of the largest crystal veins in the world.

Rare freshwater jelly fish and fresh water sponges
and fresh water shrimp which only thrive in the world's cleanest lakes can be seen in
Ouachita.

Scuba Divers from all over the world enjoy the clarity of the water and the special spear fishing season.

Lake Ouachita was constructed and completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1946 and 1954 for flood control and hydropower.Authorized purposes now include recreation, water supply, fish and wildlife management.